Fair backgammon

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises numerous aspects for organizing a fair backgammon tournament. For this purpose, there is proposed a mat with a detection device as well as presentation and/or network connecting apparatus optionally connected thereto. The invention moreover proposes a plurality of methods for carrying out a commercial tournament. For converting a conventional board, an insertion plate system is moreover presented. The invention may also be used for other board games. Further, a method of generating random numbers on a higher logic level is presented.

The invention relates to a backgammon mat, a presentation apparatus witha data connection to such a backgammon board, a network connectingapparatus with data connection to such a board, a bridge for supplying adetection device, a method for carrying out a commercial backgammoncontest and a commercial competitive tournament, a method for generatingrandom numbers as well as an insertion plate system for a backgammonboard.

Worldwide, one hundred million people play various entertaining gamesevery day. About one tenth thereof play backgammon on a daily basis.About one tenth of the backgammon players play regularly in backgammontournaments. One tenth again of these are professional players that earntheir living in whole or at least in part by taking part in backgammontournaments. There are about 200 great, famous backgammon tournamentsattracting at least 100 participants each.

Backgammon is a strategy game in which, depending on the roll scores,the players are confronted with the task of spontaneously changing theirstrategy. For training the strategy, there exist computer games forhuman players to play against a computer opponent. However such systemsare only suited for training and cannot, for course, be utilized ontournaments. Such type backgammon computers are sold by SAITEK,SCHNEIDER and other manufacturers some of which are unknown.

Generally, numerous electronic devices for use in entertaining games orboard games or suggested for backgammon have been proposed. U.S. Pat.No. 5,791,648 for example discloses an inductive sensory system forexample for detecting the movements of chess pieces. A similar system isalso suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,654. U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,811 B1makes diverse proposals as to the possibilities of a touch-sensitivedisplay screen. U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,368 shows an electronic gameapparatus for determining the position and identity of chess pieces. Asimilar apparatus, this time however with high-frequency coils in theplay area, is suggested by U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,286. The chess board ofU.S. Pat. No. 6,168,158 B1 also works with high-frequency coils. TheGerman document DE 198 56 408 A1 discloses a capacitive sensor system.The document DE 199 39 159 A1 shows another touch-sensitive capacitivesensor matrix area. The document DE 196 25 771 A1 proposes to generatethe roll score for playing backgammon by means of random numbergenerators. A sensor receiving mechanics for a touch-sensitive plate isdisclosed in the document DE 94 04 488 U1. The document BG 62241 B1generally deals with a game table. U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,812 proposes astack of cards for replacing mechanical dice. Finally, U.S. Pat. No.6,220,594 B1 discloses a sensor system it says is suited to detect thefinal position of a conventional but inside specially equipped die andthat has stopped rolling.

From the simple fact that in commercial backgammon tournaments largeamounts of money are at stake and that the players play the gameprofessionally it is apparent that all these electronic devices will notbe utilized in such a tournament. Instead, both the players and theorganizers attach much importance on using conventional dice forthrowing the dice. Therefore, in such tournaments, backgammon mats orboards are only used for two players playing against each other withmechanical dice.

This of course presents the disadvantage that the discrete games cannotbe electronically reconstructed. Therefore, in accordance with oneaspect, the invention proposes to provide a conventional backgammon matwith a device for electronically detecting pieces that have beenmanually positioned, moved and/or taken off the board.

The great advantage of such a mat is that the players may continue toroll conventional dice and that there is no arithmetic-logic unitprovided on the mat for indicating for example the best possible nextmove. Only the moves the players made are detected electronically andcan then be transmitted further and/or processed.

Electronic detection can be performed using a special mat or video orimage acquisition with a pattern recognition software. Hereby, thesoftware may either detect the position of the pieces only or the diceroll as well in order to make them electronically available forevaluating the game.

It is suggested that the detection device be capable of detecting theactual position of all pieces placed on the mat in accordance with therules. Thus, each actual game situation can be detected and processed.

The detection device can localize the pieces in the game through a spaceleaving detection means and a space entering detection means. Pressuresensors disposed on the space may for example serve this purpose. Inthis case the player would have to briefly press onto the piece he wantsto move before removing it from a space and to again briefly pressthereon as he places it onto another space.

As an alternative and in addition to such localization, the detectiondevice may also localize the pieces in the game by a space occupationdetection means. Capacitive sensors may serve this purpose. Aparticularly simple means to achieve this is to provide light sensors onthe spaces of the backgammon mat. These may be provided in aparticularly economical way on the mat on each space in a lineararrangement with spaces between them corresponding to the usual size ofthe pieces. Six light sensors on one space will suffice for most of theplaystations.

In case there are more pieces on one space than the sensors are capableof detecting, the invention suggests that the detection device comprisesmeans for indicating multiple occupancy. These are preferred to be a“+”-key next to the associated space. In order for the detection devicenot to have to distinguish the differently coloured pieces of theplayers in its sensor technology, which would have to be a costly one inthis case, it is suggested that means for the players to indicate achange of player be provided on the backgammon mat. Such a means forindicating a change of player may for example be a press button eachplayer has to actuate once he has completed a move. If such a pressbutton is used in the right way, the detection device can assume thatall of the pieces that are actively moved during the move of one playerare of one colour and are thus to be associated with this player.

For safety reasons, an acceptance request may be provided for theopponent to confirm the correctness of each entry entered by the playerinto the detection device with the possibility of correcting said entryif this confirmation is not given or for the detection device to ignorethe data or signal this lack of confirmation to the tournament directionas a conflict situation.

The detection device may preferably comprise means for indicating adouble dice roll. Otherwise, the detection device is not capable ofunderstanding why one player makes several moves without the otherplayer taking his turn. It also makes it possible to infer the dicerolls from a players moves that have been electronically detected,transmitted and/or stored by the detection device. The indication of adouble dice roll may for example be an entry that is subject toacceptance by the opponent.

The once detected data are preferably committed in a memory that savesthe data at least until after the end of the game. As an alternative andin addition thereto, there may be provided an emitter for transmittingthe game situations and/or the various moves to a separate receiver.Said receiver may be connected to an own, sometimes larger memory or toa display such as a big-screen. Other output means may also be provided:a simple printer for recording the game on paper by means of a suitedcoding may for example be used. This allows the players to analyze thegame with particularly simple means once the game is over. The printermay for example also be disposed immediately on the backgammon mat. Thesame applies for a USB memory stick and/or a CD.

In the concrete implementation, the backgammon mat may for examplecomprise a coloured marking of the spaces so that players that arefamiliar with the rules are allowed to position and move their piecesdirectly on the mat. It may however be more universal and lower in costto configure the backgammon mat to be transparent and suited for beingplaced onto a coloured space marking of a board. Such a mat may forexample be a foil that can be rolled up and has optical sensors embeddedtherein. Such a mat can be manufactured at a particularly low cost andbe readily used on numerous boards, even on old ones.

For reasons of safety for the tournament organizer, it is proposed thatfor use in a tournament the detection device switches off automaticallyas soon as a preset distance to a central receiver is exceeded. Thismakes it certain that no mats will get lost in a tournament—which oftentakes place under quite confusing conditions.

If the backgammon mat with the detection device is supplied withelectrical energy from an external connectable device, the detectiondevice may be configured to be particularly small and discreet.Moreover, the external device may for example be rechargeable andreplaceable at low cost once its recharge capability has significantlydiminished. Moreover, a separate assembly may be used for this purpose,said assembly serving to simultaneously indicate the time needed heretobefore and the time each player still has. The time left is a decisivefactor for planning the moves ahead of time during a game. Also, in aseparate device there can be readily accommodated quite large a memory.

For the tournament organizer, it is particularly advantageous to have apresentation apparatus having a data connection to at least onebackgammon mat equipped as proposed and presenting game situations,preferably in oversize graphic. This allows for example a game orseveral games to be made accessible to a public on one or several bigscreens. This presentation may be commented there by experiencedplayers.

As an alternative and in addition thereto, there may be provided anetwork connecting apparatus that has the data of at least onebackgammon mat of the invention and that electronically transmits thegame situations to an electronic network, more specifically to theinternet. This makes it possible to watch tournament games live in theinternet.

Due to the large number of backgammon players worldwide, there existjust as many conventional backgammon boards. These usually are dividedinto two tables with each table comprising a play surface and asurrounding, upright frame. In order to provide the possibility to usethe invention on these backgammon boards as well, an insertion platesystem with two plates for insertion into the game surface of aconventional board and with a device for electronically detecting piecesthat have been manually positioned, moved and/or taken off the board isproposed.

Since usually the two tables are placed with their longitudinal bordersadjoining so that the upright frame is doubled in the center of theoverall game board, there is proposed a data and/or energy bridge forconnecting the two insertion plates beyond the adjacent frames of thegame board. These may for example be means with data and plug-typeconnections on the insertion plates.

To enter data, the insertion plate system may preferably comprise asecond bridge to one player side of the backgammon board. At this secondbridge, the player may for example enter that the other player is takinghis turn. There may also be provided a key by means of which an opponentmay accept or refuse the entry of a player. Alternatively, the bridgecan be connectable or connected to a data entry unit so that the playersmay enter the data through the data entry unit.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, an insertion plate system of thetype proposed comprises a bridge to a timer and registration unit. Thisunit may show the players the time spent and/or left and internallystore the moves and situations of the game. It may moreover supply thesystem with energy.

In order to allow for playing without board as well, it is proposed toconfigure a data bridge in the form of a play surface frame or at leastas a part of a play surface frame. Thus, the otherwise framelessbackgammon mat can be surrounded with the data bridge so that a space inwhich to play and to throw the dice is directly created. Then, the datacan be entered through the play surface frame. This allows not only aparticular compact but also a very low cost construction of the system.

Irrespective of what has been mentioned herein above, there is proposeda method for carrying out a commercial backgammon contest which facestwo players against each other, said players playing a predeterminednumber of games with an end result for this meeting being determinedfrom this number of games. In accordance with an aspect of theinvention, the two opponents have to alternately start the variousgames.

Hereto before, which player starts the next game is decided randomly atthe start of each game. The alternate start allows for very fair acontest.

Which player starts in the respective first game of two thus coupledgames may for example be determined by generating the dice roll at thestart of the game, with the two players each throwing one die. Theplayer with the highest roll goes first. He is allocated the roll scorehe would have obtained if he had thrown the two dice in this form.

In order to achieve equal opportunities for the two players, it isproposed that the second player starts the second game with the diceroll with which his opponent started the first game. He needs notposition the same pieces of course. But the same roll score at thebeginning of the game allows for equal opportunities.

Just as there exist individual tournaments there also exist teamtournaments facing players of two teams playing simultaneous games.During such a team tournament, there is proposed that a dice roll of aplayer (using white pieces) of the first team is also binding for aplayer (also using white pieces) of the second team. This permits toachieve equal opportunities for the two teams during the entire match.If for example, in a game against an opponent of the second team, theplayer (using white pieces) of the first team throws a “six-five”, thisgives him certain possibilities to move his pieces. In accordance withthe proposal, the roll of this player of the first team wouldautomatically give the player (using the white pieces) of the secondteam the same possibilities to move his pieces. Meaning, this player ofthe second team will pretend to also have obtained “six-five” as aresult of throwing his die. Moreover, throwing the dice in the firstgame dispenses with the need to throw the dice in the second game.

The same aspect of the invention may also be used in a commercialbackgammon contest in which one player either faces a second or a secondand a third player in two simultaneous games. In this case, the playeruses white pieces in a first game and black pieces in a second game. Heeither faces an opponent that also plays different colours or oneopponent in the first game and one opponent in the second game that ofcourse use different colours to play against him. For such type games itis proposed that all dice rolls of the first game be also binding forthe second game.

The same aspect of the invention may also be used for a specialbackgammon competitive tournament in which all the players using whitepieces receive one single dice combination and that all the playersusing black pieces also receive only one (but different) dicecombination. The goal is to achieve the best end result for the gamefrom an existing number of dice combinations available for all playersduring one game.

In practice, a dice roll is generated centrally several times, with oneroll score always applying for the one colour and the next roll scorefor the other colour. The players of all the simultaneous games do notthrow the dice themselves but retrieve the next roll after each move inorder to continue playing. It is understood that the players will begiven the next roll score only after a move. Thus, all the players playwith the same score sequence.

For game servers using various soft—and/or hardware, it is often veryimportant that a very transparent, clear and understandable and, as aresult thereof, controllable method for generating random numbers beprovided. In the case of backgammon, the random numbers can morespecifically be used to dictate roll scores.

Not only in backgammon, also in other commercial fields such as incasinos and lottery events, it is important that random numbers beproduced in a transparent, understandable way so that those that aredependent on the randomity of the random numbers will not get the wrongimpression that the numbers were perhaps known beforehand.

In order to guarantee the neutrality and authenticity of random numbers,it is proposed that, in order to produce a random number for theirrespective local users, decentral clients access a central random serverconstantly generating and publishing random numbers. Upon request, theclients receive from the random server the random number it justgenerated. The random number is transmitted, provided with a marking.

This marking may for example be sequential numbers or anotherunambiguous marking of the random number generated by the random server.The marking preferably is an indication of the time at which the clientaccessed the random server and/or at which the random number wasgenerated.

It is obvious that other markings such as colour markings orcombinations of the marking types mentioned may be used in order toconfigure the scanned random numbers to be identifiable in such a mannerthat they may be found in the list of the generated random numberspublished by the random server and may thus be verified.

Of one advantage among others, this method allows all the clientsparticipating in the process such as casinos or lottery enterprises tofurther use their existing soft- and/or hardware to constantly generatea series of random numbers at a known time interval. It is preferredthat the random server has a special software in order to carry out thenecessary operations with the random numbers of the clients or withautarkical generation thereof and to generate its central series ofrandom numbers in such a manner that the random number can be retrieved,meaning published, at a concrete time. The result of the generatedrandom numbers of the random server is published in its entirety and isavailable for scanning at any time so that each user may access to thelist of the random server on the clients and may thus check whether thesupposedly random number obtained from the client has indeed beendictated by the neutral random server. The exact time, for exampleindicating the milliseconds, at which the random number has beengenerated by the random server, is very helpful to find the number.

Inasmuch, this method prevents any deceitful manipulation of the randomnumbers since neutral control of all the random numbers is possible atthe random server.

1. A backgammon mat for only two players playing against each other withdice, comprising a device for electronically detecting pieces that havebeen manually positioned, moved and/or taken off the board.
 2. The matas set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection device recognizes theactual position of all pieces placed on the mat in accordance with therules.
 3. The mat as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection devicelocalizes the pieces in the game through a space leaving detection meansand a space entering detection means.
 4. The mat as set forth in claim3, comprising a pressure sensor provided on mat spaces.
 5. The mat asset forth in claim 1, wherein the detection device localizes the piecesin the game through a space occupation detection means.
 6. The mat asset forth in claim 5, wherein light sensors are provided on mat spaces.7. The mat as set forth in claim 1, comprising a means for the playersto inform the detection device that another player has taken his turn.8. The mat as set forth in claim 1, comprising an acceptance request. 9.The mat as set forth in claim 1, comprising a means for the players toindicate a double dice roll to the detection device.
 10. The mat as setforth in claim 1, comprising a memory to which all the game situationscan be committed beyond the end of the game and/or a transmitter forsending the game situations to a separate receiver.
 11. The mat as setforth in claim 1, comprising an output means on the detection deviceand/or coupled to a separate receiver.
 12. The mat as set forth in claim1, comprising colored space marking.
 13. The mat as set forth in claim1, wherein the mat is transparent and suited to be placed onto a coloredspace marking of a board.
 14. The mat as set forth in claim 1, whereinthe detection device automatically switches off when a settable distancefrom a central receiver is exceeded.
 15. The mat as set forth in claim1, comprising an external connectable device for supplying the detectiondevice with electrical energy.
 16. The mat as set forth in claim 15,wherein the external device comprises a memory and/or indicates the timealready measured or the time still left.
 17. A presentation apparatusthat is provided via a data connection with at least one backgammon matas set forth in claim 1, and that presents game situations, preferablyin oversize graphic.
 18. A network connecting apparatus that isprovided, via a data connection, with at least one backgammon mat as setforth in claim 1, and electronically transmits game situations to anelectronic network, more specifically to the internet.
 19. A method forcarrying out a commercial backgammon contest, wherein game situations ofat least one backgammon mat—preferably as set forth in claim 1, —areelectronically detected by said mat and transmitted to a tournamentdirector, said tournament director graphically presenting and/or storingand/or transmitting the game situations to a network, more specificallyto the internet.
 20. An insertion plate system for a backgammon boarddivided into two tables, with each table comprising a play surface and asurrounding, upright frame and said insertion plate system comprisingtwo insertion plates for insertion onto the play surfaces of thebackgammon board and a device for electronically detecting pieces thathave been manually positioned, moved and/or taken off the board.
 21. Theinsertion plate system as set forth in claim 20, comprising a dataand/or energy bridge for connecting the insertion plates beyond theadjacent frames of the backgammon board.
 22. The insertion plate systemas set forth in claim 20, comprising a second bridge to a player side ofthe backgammon board for the player to enter data indicating that theother player is taking his turn or for connecting a data entry unit. 23.The insertion plate system as set forth in claim 20, comprising a thirdbridge to a timer and registration unit.
 24. A bridge for supplying adetection device for electronically detecting pieces that have beenmanually positioned, moved and/or taken off the board during abackgammon game in the form of a play surface frame or of at least partof a play surface frame of a backgammon board.
 25. A method for carryingout a commercial backgammon contest which faces two players against eachother, said players playing a predetermined number of games with an endresult for this meeting being determined from said number of games,wherein the two players have to alternately start the various games. 26.The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein at the beginning of thefirst game each player generates a dice roll by throwing one die. 27.The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein in the second game theplayer starts with the same dice roll as his opponent in the first game.28. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein to start the game, anew dice roll is generated before every odd game only.
 29. A method forcarrying out a team tournament facing players of two teams playingsimultaneous games, wherein a dice roll for one player using whitepieces of the first team is also binding for a player using white piecesof the second team in his game.
 30. A method for carrying out abackgammon contest in which one player either faces a second or a secondand a third player in two simultaneous games, wherein all the dice rollsof the first game are also binding for the second game.
 31. A method forcarrying a special backgammon competitive tournament in which all theplayers using white pieces receive one single dice combination and thatall the players using black pieces also receive only one (either same ordifferent) dice combination, wherein the best end result of the game isto be virtually achieved from an existing number of dice combinationsavailable for all players during one game.
 32. A method for regularlygenerating random numbers on a client, said client being connected via anetwork to a central random server and said random server regularly,preferably permanently, generating random numbers and making theserandom number available for the clients to retrieve them, wherein all ofthe random numbers the random server has generated are transmitted tothe client in such a manner that a marking provided on the random numbermakes it possible to clearly identify said random number and that therandom numbers generated by said random server are stored in such amanner that they can be found by means of said transmitted marking.